PRINCES WILLIAM AND HARRY
DESPITE THEIR RIFT, PRINCES william AND HARRY come TOGETHER TO UNVEIL THE STATUE PAYING TRIBUTE TO THEIR BELOVED MOTHER
Princes William and Harry put their differences aside last week as they reunited at the unveiling of a new statue in memory of their late mother, Princess Diana. The brothers attended a ceremony in Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden on what would have been the Queen of Hearts’ 60th birthday.
They said in a joint statement, “We remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better. Every day, we wish she were still with us and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.”
The princes also thanked sculptor Ian Rank-broadley and landscape architect Pip Morrison for their work, as well as “all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive”.
It was the first time the brothers had been face-to-face since their grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral in April.
Despite their personal issues in recent months, royal expert Katie Nicholl told OK! that William, 39, and Harry, 36, were able to see the bigger picture on the day and show unity for Diana.
“Harry and William seemed so relaxed. You wouldn’t have known there was tension from their behaviour,” she said. “They weren’t physically close but that was likely to be down to social distancing rules. There was no visible animosity and Harry seemed happy, relaxed and full of beans.”
She continued, “William is always the more serious of the two but he also looked very relaxed. They both knew
that putting their past problems aside for the day was the right thing to do. They were united and their joint statement showed they wanted the day to be about their mother, who they both love very much.”
Despite rumours that the Duke of Sussex may not have attended the statue unveiling, Harry flew in from the US – where he lives with wife Meghan, 39, and their children Archie, two, and one-month-old Lilibet Diana – for the occasion.
The brothers were also reunited with their aunties on the day. They were seen embracing Diana’s sisters Lady Sarah Mccorquodale, 66, and Lady Jane Fellowes, 64, while her brother, Earl Charles Spencer, 57, was also in attendance.
Wearing navy suits, William and Harry beamed as they walked side-by-side in the Sunken Garden, which is believed to have been one of Diana’s favourite spots. The brothers commissioned the statue in 2017, before their rift developed, to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death.
The garden was also transformed into a memorial site for her, featuring a display of some of her favourite flowers.
William and Harry were seen laughing and talking to guests before they unveiled the statue.
It is thought the brothers spent a total of six minutes together at the event, even enjoying a glass
of champagne, before Harry left just 20 minutes later. Katie also suggests it’s likely they met up before the official event to dispel any tension, due to their “natural” body language on camera.
And while she says the reunion is “baby steps in the right direction”, she thinks the pair still have a long way to go. “I don’t think it should be interpreted as a giant leap in the healing of the rift,” she said. “It’s going to take many more meetings and there are so many things that still need to be addressed.”
The pair’s brotherly bond became strained when Harry announced he was stepping down from his senior royal role in January 2020. Things escalated in March this year when Harry and Meghan sat down for a bombshell interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, in which he claimed William and his father Prince Charles were “trapped” by their royal roles.
But Katie adds that last week’s united front would have made their mother proud, saying, “Diana would be so proud of her boys, for their humanitarian work and carrying on her legacy. It would have made her happy to see her boys together looking happy.”
Poignantly, Katie added, “I believe if Diana was still here, the feud would never have reached this point. She wouldn’t have allowed it.”